Guild Wars 2 Halloween 2013 Celebration Is Blood And Madness

For the second year in a row, Guild Wars 2 will be hosting a special Halloween-themed event. However, ArenaNet won't just be using the same "Shadow of the Mad King" content from last fall. Instead, they're hosting a different event called "Blood and Madness."

"Halloween is drawing near, and Magister Tassi’s instruments are picking up some unusual energy readings," says ArenaNet of the new event. "The Mad King isn’t the only one breaking through the barrier between realms—prepare to face the son of Oswald Thorn, Bloody Prince Edrick!"

Edrick has laid claim to part of the Mad King's Labyrinth. Players can venture into the Labyrinth to face his undead minions. The Skeletal Lich, Grand High Viscount of Candy Corn, and the Labyrinthine Horror are among the foes you'll find there.

ArenaNet also has more light-hearted content planned for "Blood and Madness." Players can trick-or-treat at haunted doors appearing all over Kryta. They can also test their platforming skills in a jumping puzzle called the Mad King's Clocktower. A game called Mad King Says will allow contestants to win a Mask of the Night.

Players will be rewarded with a bevy of Halloween-themed loot for their efforts. The Blood and Madness meta achievement will award a Mini Candy Corn Elemental pet, while the story missions unlock a Candy Corn node for home instances. Candy Corn earned throughout the event can be traded for a 20-slot Halloween pail, a Mini Bloody Prince and other holiday items.

"Blood and Madness" will kick off on October 15th, just days before the start of the first World vs. World season. During this season, ArenaNet will split the game's worlds (servers) into leagues so they can compete over the next month-and-a-half. Players will receive rewards based on their weekly participation as well as their world's performance during the season.

To make the Halloween event and WvW season more pleasant, ArenaNet is implementing a number of changes in the October 15th patch. Players can expect new "quality of life" fixes including improved targeting, new damage display options, and reworked tooltips. ArenaNet has also rebalanced the existing skills and traits in the game.

You can get your first look at "Blood and Madness" on October 14th. ArenaNet will host a preview livestream through their Twitch channel at 12pm PDT.